1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a body pillow. More specifically, the present invention relates to body pillow shaped to substantially support and cushion a user lying on the user's side with his or her knees bent and can alternatively support a user's back when the user rests in a sitting position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people prefer to sleep laying on their side with their head slightly forward, their arms and legs bent in front of them at the shoulders and hips, and their knees bent, this position sometimes being referred to as the “fetal position.” Many doctors and sleep experts believe this is a favorable position because it allows a person's muscles to relax. Also, many people simply find it a comfortable sleeping position.
The fetal position also relieves pressure from a person's spine allowing their back to relax more than other positions. Many people, including many doctors, believe it is ideal to have their legs held apart while sleeping such that a person's leg bones are generally parallel to each other with their feet approximately shoulder-width apart. To state it differently, this leg position is similar to the manner in which a person's legs appear when sitting with proper posture in a chair.
Pillows or other objects are needed, however, to support and position a person's body in the fetal position. One or more pillows placed beneath a person's head can support the head, allowing neck and shoulder muscles to fully relax. Also, another pillow placed between a person's knees can support a person's legs, allowing the hip and thigh muscles to fully relax, while at the same time cushioning the relatively hard, boney regions of the knees. Similarly, a pillow positioned between a user's ankles can support the ankles and cushion the boney regions of the ankles.
Additionally, many people generally find the fetal position to be the most comfortable and natural sleeping position. Often, two people sleeping together will both sleep in the fetal position, lying closely together and facing the same direction. This position is sometimes referred to as “spooning” and often gives people a sense of togetherness and security, as well as comfort. Sometimes people sleeping alone will sleep in the fetal position and clutch an extra pillow between their arms and chest, in some ways simulating the act of spooning.
One problem with using a traditional pillow to support the knees and/or ankles in such a position is traditional pillows are rectangular and cannot account for areas a person does not want support. In particular, a traditional pillow placed between a person's thighs often has the undesirable result of one corner of the pillow contacting a person's crotch which can be uncomfortable. Moreover, grasping a traditional pillow to a person's torso often results in the pillow being positioned in the person's crotch such that the width of the pillow is positioned between the crotch and knees. In this orientation, often the person's knees are not separated by the pillow which can be a less comfortable position for the person.
Further, today's pillows are typically suitable for supporting only one particular body part. For example, standard pillows on the market today support the head, but cannot support the legs and head at the same time. People instead often employ multiple individual pillows to support the head, knees, ankles, and other specific body parts. Thus, many people require an excess of pillows, each of which is typically purchased individually and requires an individual pillow case, totaling a significant cost.
It is therefore believed that a need exists for a pillow that substantially supports a person's body as they lie in the fetal position and allows the muscles to naturally relax, allows desirable spacing at a person's crotch region, and can also simulating the act of spooning by providing a cushion for the user to grasp.